Subsurface plankton layers observed from airborne lidar in Sanya Bay, South China Sea

In recent years, airborne lidar has been used in a wide range of oceanic applications, including detection of bathymetry, bubbles, internal waves, and schools of fish. However, it has not yet been extensively applied in Chinese seas. For example, there have been no studies to detect subsurface plankton layers in the South China Sea (SCS) by airborne lidar. In this study, we investigated this technology’s applicability for identifying subsurface plankton layers in Sanya Bay, SCS. Three airborne lidar flight experiments were carried out in March 2018 and in September 2017. Shipboard synchronous measurements were carried out in March 2018 to validate the lidar measurements. The method that is presented here can be used to detect a subsurface plankton layer, which is characterized by depth, thickness, and intensity. Compared with chlorophyll-a profile synchronously measured by shipborne fluorometer, there was a consistent relationship. The subsurface plankton layer depth error was less than 0.7 m. Next, the spatial distribution and seasonal variation of lidar measured subsurface plankton layers in Sanya Bay, SCS, was analyzed. The results showed that airborne lidar can potentially detect subsurface plankton layer within 50 meters deep in relatively clear water. This will enhance our understanding of biogeochemical processes in these optically complex aquatic systems.